WHAT IS ECO- TOURISM BY Sanjay Gubbi

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WHAT IS ECO-TOURISM?
By Sanjay Gubbi
Tourism Vs. wildlife conservation
So, are wildlife reserves meant for wild
animals, or for the entertainment of humans? Is
there a link between promoting tourism and
wildlife conservation? During my work in both
Nagarahole and Bandipur, I have seen that
though the volume of park-based tourism has
substantially increased, there are few benefits
that have flowed to the forest or wildlife from
tourism entrepreneurs. The private sector, the
main engine of tourism development,
contributes very little, apart from meagre entry
fees. On the contrary, new roads and view lines,
being constructed to facilitate tourism, are
Sanctuary Asia, October 2008
had two cubs in tow. I knew it was futile to calm
the people in my vehicle. The ones with the
vantage point refused to budge. For all practical
purposes, these tourists were shouting and
behaving much the same as visitors watching
tigers in a zoo. Amidst this chaos, the mother
stood cautiously at the edge of the vegetation; the
cubs crouched some 10 m. behind. Silently, the
tigress turned towards the bushes, her rust-gold
coat blending quickly with the shrubbery. The
cubs followed. And then they were gone.
The people were disappointed at not being
able to see the tigers out in the open. I was
disappointed with the people.
Today tourism is ubiquitous in the best
sanctuaries and national parks and this is fast
becoming the principal means by which people
are able to experience and interact with wild
nature. The Corbett and Ranthambhore Tiger
Reserves, in the north, have their counterparts
in the Nagarahole and Bandipur National Parks
of Karnataka and Periyar in Kerala where people
with disposable incomes visit in increasing
numbers. With a high concentration of Asiatic
elephants or significant populations of tigers,
such reserves offer a huge wildlife tourism
potential since large charismatic mammals can
be sighted with little difficulty.

The term eco-tourism first
appeared in the 1970s but became
a buzz word in the early ‘90s in
western countries. The Quebec
Declaration (UNEP/WTO 2002)
suggested five criteria to define eco-
tourism, which are: nature-based
product,minimalimpact
management,environmental
education; and contribution to
conservation and the local
community. In India, tourism to
wildlife destinations in the garb of
eco-tourism is already a popular
concept, however the term is by and
large misused. In practice it is used
as an ‘eco-sell’ marketing tool. The terms used are numerous: eco-tour, eco-travel, eco-adventure,
eco-safari. Google the word ‘eco-tourism, India’ and one gets a plethora of websites claiming
to be involved in eco-tourism. A more scientific explanation for eco-tourism is “environmentally
responsible travel to natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature that promote
conservation, have a low visitor impact and provide for beneficially active socio-economic
involvement of local peoples”. It can be distinguished from other forms of tourism by its
emphasis on conservation, education, traveller responsibility and active community participation.
lucrative business. Hotels and resorts,
restaurants, souvenir shops, travel agents and
others who benefit directly or indirectly from
wildlife tourism, should contribute directly
towards wildlife protection, perhaps through
a distinct Protected Area Conservation Tax or
some such instrument that benefits the local
forest department and its staff.
Put simply, tourism owes it to the nation
to help protect destinations and the animals
that constitute such a lucrative source of
income. And this income should, ideally,
benefit local communities directly so that their
lives are improved and their relationship with
the parks is less antagonistic.
Estimates suggest that wildlife tourism is
growing at 10-12 per cent annually in India.
This is when people should be sitting together
to ensure that low-impact tourism, in
consonance with Protected Area management,
is the order of the day. In its current form,
what passes for wildlife tourism lacks focus,
discipline and sensitivity to wildlife
conservation and to local cultures.
Wildlife landscapes should be seen as
outdoor educational classrooms rather
than recreational locations. Undoubtedly,
well-implemented, scientific and
environmentally sustainable wildlife tourism
can win public support for conservation. But
this should follow scientific guidelines and
we must have trained, motivated education
staff employed by both government and
private sectors. The true test of eco-tourism
should be its ability to motivate visitors to
move from passive appreciation to concern
and then action to protect our threatened
natural heritage.
NGOs or academic institutions can
provide technical and educational support
to effective wildlife tourism efforts
through planning, monitoring and
research. Additionally, scientifically-designed
programmes for guides, safari drivers, and other
support services are vital and this is where
NGOs could play a very positive role.
Some years ago, on instructions from the late Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the practice of baiting lions
for macabre ‘shows’ was stopped. This has vastly improved the quality of the viewing experience of visitors whose
support for wildlife conservation should be actively sought through the tourism interface.

New initiatives

The activities of three eco-development
committees in the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR)
are examples that should be emulated. My
research on the India Eco-development Project
(IEDP) at Periyar provided me with close
insights into their work. The local Mannan,
Paliyan and Urali tribals, and former poachers
and timber smugglers directly manage a part of
the tourism activity and distribute the benefits
between themselves. This eco-tourism activity,
the flag bearer of the IEDP provided a source of,
primary occupation to about 1.5 per cent of the
targeted 5,540 households, which goes to show
that this can work; and that well-managed eco-
tourism can bring revenue and provide
sustainable livelihoods to some local
communities. However, it would be a mistake
to presume that this can be scaled up through
replication of such activities in the whole of
Periyar Tiger Reserve or in all PAs. These activities
need specific, thoughtful planning and
motivated staff to implement them.
Novel ideas that can provide viable
economic development alternatives for local
communities, based on tourism, are urgently
required. At places such as Nagarahole, where
forest-dwelling communities have been resettled
outside the park, they could still benefit from
low-impact tourism activities. People from such
communities would make excellent guides and
many could find gainful employment as guards
too. The more entrepreneurial among them
could be trained to carry out guided walks in
reserved forests adjacent to the national park for
those who wish to step off the beaten track.
Coffee plantations with natural tree cover are,
of course, already popular as home-stays and
they are good destinations for birding and
watching small animals.
Winning support
The key focus of wildlife tourism should
be on winning supporters for conservation.
This must offer economic benefits to locals
whose leadership and skills need to be honed
in ways that enable some to earn greater
incomes than can be offered to cooks, drivers,
gardeners, or cleaners. Essentially, livelihoods
need to offer better economic security so that
people themselves move away from options
such as marginal agriculture and animal
husbandry. Wherever possible, local
communities must own tourism facilities, or
have a distinct share in the profits.
This is new territory for the authorities too,
and we must therefore be open to new scientific
guidelines and polices that direct wildlife tourism
to go beyond conventional tourism. For
instance, carrying capacity is undefined for most
of our PAs. This capacity must not be determined
by politicians or bureaucrats, but rather by
ecologists who have a better understanding of
how forest ecosystems work. Enforcement is
poor. This is a fact. Fortunately, the National
Tiger Conservation Authority has brought in
new guidelines to restrict tourism activities in
tiger reserves. These need to be implemented
effectively and if this is done, it is the tourism
industry that will be the first beneficiary of the
rejuvenated biodiversity that is bound to follow.
In the past few decades, we have seen
almost every kind of tourism wrapped in a
veneer of green. This cannot be allowed, or
conflicts between conservationists and the
tourism industry are inevitable. After all,
people will continue to visit parks only if the
forest is alive with wildlife. Similarly, cornering
all the benefits of tourism by the ‘big boys’
will prove to be counter productive.
Responsible visitors want to see their money
benefiting communities. They want to know
that their money helps wildlife. This must be
the very purpose of tourism.

Someone in the bus shouted, “tiger, tiger!”
Immediately, the driver turned the vehicle,
spewing dust in the process, towards the
direction that had been frantically pointed out.
That cold February morning, I was in the
Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan. I
could see the stripes between the sparse
vegetation and the short leafless trees. It had
been beautifully camouflaged until now!
Suddenly, there were eight more vehicles that
zoomed in on the location, each jockeying for
position, literally encircling the unfortunate tiger.
There were shouts across vehicles, and even
more excitement when it was discovered that she
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fragmenting more wildlife habitats every day,
leading to increased disturbance.
“In the monsoons, mud roads in tourism
areas are badly damaged by resort vehicles
making the mobility of departmental vehicles
for protection duty difficult,” says Sunil Panwar,
Assistant Conservator of Forests, Nagarahole.
In Nagarahole, the government had set
conditions that each resort should ensure
maintenance of two anti-poaching camps, but
this is not being seen in practice. A mandatory
distance of 30 m. is to be maintained between
each vehicle while watching wildlife; this
guideline, too, is ignored. Despite this, day by
day, there is pressure to permit new resorts to
operate in Nagarahole. In many areas, wildlife
tourism has also led to negative socio-cultural
impacts resulting in conflicts between local
communities and investors, and consequent
animosity towards wildlife conservation.
Tourism for wildlife conservation
This said, I would add that wildlife tourism
has the potential to be a useful tool that could
be synergised with wildlife conservation. But
for this to happen, a complete overhaul is
required. A good first step would be to enforce
existing laws and policies so that the worst
impacts of tourism are subdued.